Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had prepared him to succeed him as president as their tenure expires in May next year.
Osinbajo said this on Monday, when he visited Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in his office in Akure on Monday.
According to him, Buhari ensured that he was given very serious responsibilities as vice president and also acted as president.
He added that President Buhari on many occasions while away, had told him pointedly to use his (Osinbajo’s) discretion as acting president and never to refer anything to him (Buhari).
Osinbajo there said it would be injustice if he did not contest the 2023 election with his vast experience in the last seven years in office.
The vice president hailed Buhari’s open mindedness in delegating to him serious tasks that had aided his experience.
He said that it was God that put people in power, but noted that it would be a betrayal of his country for him to retire with all his exposure in government.
He commended Akeredolu for the giant strides of achievements in the state.
“It is such a special privilege to be called to serve, it is a very special privilege to serve either as ecxo, house of assembly, even as NWC member.
“I am sure that everybody knows that I have formally declared my intention to run as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I did so on Monday April 11th, 2022 and I did so because, first of all there is nobody that can bear anything God does not decide that he would be, only God can make a person president, vice president, governor, anything whatsoever.
“So, I believe the hand of God must be on anything we are doing, but I declared my intention based on first, the fact that I have served, again by the sheer grace of God, I have served for seven years and some months.
“President Muhammadu Buhari, just out of his open mindedness and his own generosity ensured that I was given very serious responsibilities as vice president and I also acted as president.
“In those capacity, I got to know so many things that most people will never come across, even people in government will never come across and I gained a lot of experience on that account.
“Many times the President, when he was away, said pointedly to me that look, I don’t want to feter your discretion in any way, as acting president, you are president, just make sure you are fair and just, don’t refer anything to me, don’t ask me any questions, just do whatever you need to do.
“I think It will be a betrayal to our country,to our nation, this is a nation that many people died for, people died for this country, if I with all that have been given to me by the grace of God,retire quietly either to Lagos or Ikene and go and be writing my memoirs.
“It will be great injustice to our country, that is why I throw my hat in the ring and ensure I make the best case for the position of President of Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Earlier, Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu appreciated the vice president for the visit.
